Burraco Rules

Game Overview

Burraco is a fascinating card game that originated in South America in the 1940s but gained immense popularity in Italy since the 1990s. It's played by four players in partnerships, with each team having a third hand to use when a player runs out of cards. The game requires a double 52-card deck (two standard international decks with 4 jokers), making it a fast-paced and engaging game for all ages.

Objective

The primary goal in Burraco is to meld combinations of seven or more cards, which can be either sets of equal rank or sequences in a suit, and score points by meeting certain criteria. The team that reaches or exceeds a predetermined score first wins the game.

Setup

1. The first dealer is chosen by drawing cards from the shuffled pack. The player who draws the lowest card deals first. In case of a tie, players draw again to break the tie.
2. The draw can also be used to determine the partnerships and seats if not decided in advance. The two highest players play against the two lowest, and the player who drew the highest card sits to the dealer’s left and therefore plays first.
3. The dealer shuffles the cards thoroughly and offers them face down to the right-hand opponent to cut. That player lifts roughly the top third of the pack and uses it to form two face-down 11-card stacks called pozzetti, while the dealer deals 11 cards one at a time to each player from the rest of the pack. What remains becomes a face-down draw pile of 41 cards in the middle of the table, with one card turned face up beside it to start the discard pile.
4. The cards have point values: each joker is 30 points, each two is 20 points, each ace is 15 points, each K, Q, J, 10, 9, or 8 is 10 points, and each 7, 6, 5, 4, or 3 is 5 points.

How to Play

1. The player to dealer's left begins the game. Players take turns to play, in clockwise order around the table, until someone goes out or the play ends because the stock is exhausted.
2. Each turn consists of either drawing the top card of the face-down draw pile or taking the whole of the face-up discard pile and adding it to one's hand; optionally laying down any number of valid sets or sequences, or adding cards to sets or sequences already melded by one's own team, or both; and discarding one card from hand face up on top of the discard pile. A set is three or more cards of the same rank, a sequence is three or more consecutive cards of the same suit, and no meld may contain more than one wild card (a joker or a two used as a wild card).
3. A player whose team has not yet taken a pozzetto can take one directly: draw, meld every card in hand, pick up a pozzetto and carry on playing, discarding a card at the end of the turn as usual. Alternatively, a player can take a pozzetto on the discard: draw, meld all but one card, discard that final card, then take the pozzetto and leave it face down until the opponent on the left and the partner have played their turns. This delay avoids any temptation to influence partner's play with knowledge of the pozzetto.
4. The play ends when a player goes out (chiusura) or when the stock is exhausted. Going out requires that the team has already taken its pozzetto, that it has melded at least one burraco, and that the player melds all but one card and discards that last card, which may not be a wild card.

Scoring and End of Game

1. A team scores the point values of the cards it has melded — 30 for each joker, 20 for each two, 15 for each ace, 10 for each K, Q, J, 10, 9 or 8, and 5 for each 7, 6, 5, 4 or 3 — plus a bonus for each burraco (a meld of seven or more cards). A clean burraco (pulito, made only of natural cards) is worth more than a dirty one (sporco, containing a wild card).
2. The team that reaches or exceeds the agreed target score first wins the game.

Common Variants

1. The standard game is four players in fixed partnerships, but there are also less interesting versions for 2 to 5 players in which everyone plays as an individual.
2. Closely related games are played elsewhere under different names: Buraco in Brazil, Burako (played with tiles) in Argentina, as well as Biriba, Hand and Foot, Samba and Canasta.

Why This Game Is So Popular

Burraco is a thrilling game that combines elements of rummy and canasta, offering a unique blend of strategy, luck, and social interaction. The addition of a second hand of cards (pozzetto) adds an exciting twist, making it possible for players to come back from behind and win the game. A memorable moment during play might be when a player manages to take a pozzetto, meld it quickly, and go out in a single turn, securing a victory for their team.

Where to Get the Game

Start your Burraco journey by purchasing the burraco card game on Amazon.

Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

1. Not understanding the point values of the cards and the different types of melds.
2. Drawing too many cards from the draw pile, rather than taking the entire discard pile when possible.
3. Failing to take advantage of the pozzetto mechanic when necessary.

FAQ

1. How many players does Burraco require?

   • Burraco is played by 4 players in partnerships.

2. What is the objective of Burraco?

   • The primary objective in Burraco is to meld combinations of seven or more cards and score points by meeting certain criteria.

3. What cards are worth points in Burraco?

   • Each joker is 30 points, each two is 20 points, each ace is 15 points, each K, Q, J, 10, 9, or 8 is 10 points, and each 7, 6, 5, 4, or 3 is 5 points.

4. What is a pozzetto in Burraco?

   • A pozzetto is a stack of 11 cards that a player can draw when they run out of cards.

5. How does a team win at Burraco?

   • A team closes the hand by going out — but only once it has taken its pozzetto and melded at least one burraco, and the last card discarded may not be a wild card. The game itself is won by the team that first reaches the agreed target score.

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